Justin Trudeau, his wife Sophie Gregoire and their children Xavier and Ella-Grace celebrate after he won the Federal Liberal leadership Sunday April 14, 2013 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Source: Huffington Post
“Vaisakhi diyan lakh lakh vadhaiyan!”
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is celebrating his country’s religious diversity with a holiday message for Sikh Canadians.
In a Facebook post, Trudeau spoke in English, French and Punjabi to wish Sikhs a happy Vaisakhi, one of the most important holidays in their tradition. He also praised Sikh Canadians for helping make Canada, the “strong, rich and inclusive country it is today.”
Starting off with two traditional Sikh greetings, Trudeau says, “Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Kee Fateh,” which means “the Khalsa (or community of committed Sikhs) belongs to the divine and so do all its successes.”
The second greeting the prime minister used, “Sat Sri Akal,” translates to “Truth is Eternal.”
Vaisakhi, also spelled Baisakhi, marks the day in 1699 when Sikhism’s tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, founded the Khalsa and established some of the core tenets of the Sikh identity. He instructed his followers to keep the five K’s. These are five items that Sikhs are encouraged to carry at all times ― Kes (uncut hair), Kangha (a small comb), Karra (an iron bracelet), Kachh (cotton underwear) and Kirpan (a sword).
In his video, Trudeau tied Vaisakhi to the upcoming 35th anniversary of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
“Just as the creation of Khalsa defines Sikhism, the charter defines our country. And for Canadians of the Sikh faith, it insures that the Five Ks are protected.”
In French, he added, “This year on the 150th anniversary of Canada, the many traditions, cultures, and beliefs that make our country such a great place to live.”
Suggested Reading
Multiculturalism is not about integration but about cultural plurality. It is not about separation but about respect and the deepening awareness of Unity in Diversity. Each culture will maintain its own intrinsic value and at the same time would be expected to contribute to the benefit of the whole society. Multiculturalism can accommodate diversity of all kinds – cultural, philosophical and religious – so that we can create a world without conflict and strife. Britain can assume the role of accommodation and concern for all peoples, for our planet and indeed for our survival. Multi-Culturalism is even more important and crucial after 9/11 and 7/7. Muslim youths are also likely to feel alienated by a focus on shared Brutishness, rather than multicultural diversity. Rather than promoting a single British “us” teaching should acknowledge that “us” can be diverse and plural. Children should be encouraged to explore differences in appearance, history and religion to reduce social and educational fears.
God has created diverse human beings to live in this tiny global village of one family. Creation by its very nature is diverse with different species, different communities, different cultures and languages. These differences represent the beauty and wonder but diversity is sometimes not fully appreciated, resulting in all sorts of clashes. Almighty God created all the races and put each person in the racial group He wanted them to be in. Each person should be thankful for where he or she was put and not be taught that some other race is “superior” and that if you refuse to believe that you are a “racist.” Let each race stand or fall on its own merits and quit all this cultural engineering, which is really cultural genocide. The British society and Establishment must learn to respect and accommodate others, as if in a family. Today the elected Mayor of London is a Pakistani Muslim and tomorrow the elected British PM would be a Pakistani Muslim. Have you got any objection?
No one has any problem when: Jews keep beards and wear their traditional caps Christian priests and nuns wear their religious outfits Buddhist monks wear orange robes Sikhs keep beards and wear turbans Indian aunties wear Sarees (cross streets and hang out in Wal-Mart) Yeah but if any Muslim male keeps beard or if any Muslim girl wears hijab then everyone has problem. It’s Freedom when you go naked but it’s extremism when you wear hijab – just plain hypocrisy! Looking at the case of France, a major secular nation, I believe it is also not allowing women freedom by not letting her to wear her choice of clothing as it supposedly “clashes with French secular values”.
West must learn to respect and tolerate those who are different. Muslim community in all western countries need Masajid, state funded Muslim schools with Muslim teachers, halal meat, sharia laws, time of for Friday afternoon prayers in the Masjid, two religious official holidays per year and Muslim cemeteries. Stop treating foreigners like garbage and they will stop ruining your precious country. Why did you let them in in the first place if you didn’t want them here? They left everything in their countries because of your promises. Are you so anxious to please that you can’t say “no”? I would love to see you go to a foreign land where you don’t have any friends, you don’t even know anyone and you don’t speak the language, and start from scratch. I would just LOVE to watch you do that. Let them integrate and stop segregating them. What I want is people being nice to each other. I don’t care about race.
Muslim children must develop their cultural, linguistic and spiritual identity before they are exposed to outer world, otherwise, they would be lost in western jungle. There will never be an end to extremism as long as Muslim children keep on attending state schools with non-Muslim teachers. Muslim children need state funded Muslim schools with Muslim teachers as role models during their developmental periods. There is no place for a non-Muslim child or a teacher in a Muslim school.
IA
http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk
Bole so Nihal – Sat Sri Akal.